Chapter 3
My mother suffered violence from the Emperor and knights in my place. Because of that, she died on my fifth birthday.
No matter how many times it repeated—nine times—the day she died was always the same.
The fake emperor continued to abuse my mother, and her fate was to die from the beatings today.
And today… today is also the day I can fully use my power.
“Mom was so worried, thinking I might never see you again.”
“That could never happen. You’re all I have.”
“Thank goodness. Are you hurt anywhere? Are you in pain? I opened my eyes and found myself here without knowing how I got here.”
My mother, who knew nothing, darted her large eyes around, now looking even bigger from how thin she was.
Naturally, her gaze landed on the duke, who stood blankly in front of us.
Perhaps afraid that I might be abused again, she pulled me into her arms.
“Wh-who are you?!”
“Mom! I-I think that nice man saved us!”
“What are you talking about?”
“When I opened my eyes, he was already here! I woke up before you did!”
At my words, my mother frowned slightly and stared at the man.
I also followed her gaze toward the duke.
The duke, who had been leisurely observing us, had a slight flicker in his eyes.
His body stiffened ever so slightly, as if flustered. Since I had always lived watching others’ moods, I could easily sense such tiny reactions.
“I-Is that so? Did you… save us from there?”
“…You could say that.”
I looked at him with innocent eyes.
I couldn’t let my mother find out. That I had power.
I had already told her once that I had strong powers.
And in response, she had despaired. She said that for a child as young as me, abandoned with no one to protect her, possessing power wasn’t a blessing—it was a curse.
‘She’ll say the same thing this time too.’
And if she knew what I did to get us out of there… then she’d definitely worry about me.
Thankfully, perhaps reading the mood, the duke didn’t say anything else.
Instead, he looked at us and let out a small amused chuckle.
Maybe she finally came to her senses—my mother let out a startled, “Ah,” and stood up.
“I’m so sorry! I didn’t know…”
She bowed deeply to the duke.
‘Ah… she didn’t need to bow yet.’
I wanted to stop her, but she was too fast.
“Thank you. I don’t know who you are… but to save us from that hell…”
By this point, it would’ve been reasonable to be suspicious. But my mother was too weak and in pain.
She couldn’t make a rational judgment. She was just barely alive, so it was expected.
The duke, who didn’t know any of that, simply stared at us.
His gaze felt too heavy, so I turned my head sharply.
“Mom, more importantly, how are you feeling?”
“Ah, I’m okay now. I feel stronger than before. That kind gentleman even called a physician to treat me.”
“Huh?”
I froze.
“Treatment? You were treated?”
“Yes. I just got back from being treated.”
“Then while I was asleep…”
“I didn’t want to wake you, so I was treated in another room. No one would tell me where we are, though…”
As I watched her stroke my head with her thin hand, I turned to the duke.
“You… you really are a good person!”
I changed my mind again.
The Duke of Ablelant, who healed my mother—he should be my new dad.
I’m strong, so I’m allowed to make that decision.
“Bebe, you shouldn’t say ‘you’ like that. He’s our benefactor…”
“It’s fine. The child can speak that way.”
He stood with arms crossed, leaning arrogantly like someone watching an amusing play.
He then raised an eyebrow at me.
“Ah, but who are you really? Why did you save us?”
My mother’s eyes sharpened as she fully returned to her senses.
Since I hadn’t finalized a deal with the duke yet, I quickly tried to divert her attention.
“Uh, Mom! You can ask that later! Your face is pale. You should lie down!”
“Hm…?”
“You’ve been up too long. It’s too much. Go lie down.”
“But Bebe, I really am fine today…! I even feel stronger!”
“No! You always say that, but you end up collapsing after a few hits.”
Pouting, I led her to the bed.
Her body was so light it followed my gentle pull. My mother, who had always protected me from the beatings of the fake emperor and his knights, felt like a withered tree.
We were only given one piece of bread and spoiled milk per day, and she always gave them to me.
That’s why she became so thin.
“Mom… you’re too thin. Please listen to me!”
“But…”
“Has anything bad ever happened when you listened to me?”
“W-Well, no…”
“Then don’t collapse again and do as I say!”
Only then did she slowly lie down.
“Okay. I need to get better… to hug my Bebe and take care of her…”
“Don’t worry, just lie down.”
“But Bebe, this isn’t even our place…”
“No need to worry. This room was prepared for guests like you. You may rest comfortably.”
“I-Is that really okay…?”
My mother looked at the duke with eyes full of doubt and unease.
“He said it’s okay, Mom. So lie down.”
After my repeated urging, she finally sat on the bed.
“But Bebe, we haven’t even properly thanked him…”
“Jeez, he’s kind and nice, so it’s fine! Right?”
“Of course.”
Seeing him respond half-heartedly, I gently patted my mother’s chest as she lay down.
“Lullaby, lullaby, my sweet mommy. Sleep tight, coco~”
“Gosh, look at your blushing cheeks. Mommy must have a fever!”
“Huh? No, I actually feel great today. I even took medicine!”
I placed my hand on her head as she murmured about thanking him more. I couldn’t use large-scale magic, but I could at least help her sleep.
This small spell wouldn’t drain me.
“Sleep well, Mom.”
“I’m not even slee—”
“You will be soon. Good night, Mommy.”
As soon as the warm energy from my hand spread through her, she fell asleep.
I leaned in close to her face. Soon, I heard her soft breathing. After covering her with the blanket, I hopped down from the bed.
“Was that magic too?”
“Yep. Thanks for healing my mom.”
“Her condition is very poor. But you seem able to use magic. Why didn’t you heal her?”
“I can’t heal.”
The only downside of my magic is that while I can cause pain, I can’t heal—and even if someone dies, time resets, but I can’t turn back time on my own.
Also, I couldn’t use magic until I turned five.
I had thought my magic would only activate when my mother died, but that wasn’t the case. It was triggered by my fifth birthday.
‘I told them not to hurt my mom just because I had powers, but I couldn’t prove it, so they kept beating her.’
And once they found out I had power, the emperor tried to turn me into a weapon or an experiment.
“Anyway, I’ll make a contract with you.”
I stroked my mother’s hair and held out my hand to him.
“I only want one thing. Make a contract to become my family! Oh, and that includes my mom too!”
I thought this was a pretty good deal.
After all, just one room for me and my mom in this mansion should be manageable.
A room like this one was already more than enough.
I was even willing to help him achieve everything he wanted.
But the duke shook his head.
“I have no interest.”
“…What?”
“I’m not so weak that I need to make a contract with a child.”
I lifted my head to meet his gaze.
“You do need strength!”
“And why would that be?”
“You want to become emperor! Having me will help!”
He wanted it more than anyone.
If someone like me—strong and capable—was by his side, he would never fail.
“‘You want to become emperor,’ huh? Why do you think that?”
“I just know. I have special powers. I can feel what you want!”
“Ridiculous. You expect me to believe something like that without proof?”
“You already know, don’t you? That I’m strong?”
Strength and specialness may not be the same, but I had to reel him in first.
“You want me to believe that with just words?”
“Yep. You’ll believe it.”
I looked him dead in the eyes with determination.
After a long silence, he finally spoke.
“With what you’ve done… I can’t say you’re lying.”
“Right! So believe me.”
“Still, don’t go around saying things like that. That loose mouth of yours will become a thorn.”
“…Are you saying I might get killed?”
“Of course.”
“I’m not worried. I’m not afraid of death.”
I’ve died nine times already.
Death doesn’t scare me.
Only parting from my mom does.
“And you do want to become emperor!”
Though I was a bit shocked by the duke’s firm response, I quickly regained my composure.
After all, I’m the only one who can protect my mom.
“That’s rebellion. Just saying it is a crime. Even for a child.”
“I know how heavy those words are. But the emperor… he killed my dad. And then he abused me and my mom.”
His eyes dimmed, as if caught off guard.
“Your dad…?”
“I’m the last blood relative the emperor left behind. Isn’t that pretty attractive for you? And you saw, right? I’m super strong.”
