SWMD 21

Chapter 21

The child facing Diana trembled. Tears welled up instantly in Diana’s eyes. She had promised herself—if given another chance—she would recognize her daughter before anyone else.

The thin, rough wrist in her grasp was dry and frail. It was a feeling Diana knew all too well. She remembered the lifeless body that had turned cold—her child’s corpse.

She remembered clearly. How could she ever forget? That bitter memory of touching her dead daughter’s body.

The light platinum-blond hair that resembled both Calypso and herself, and those emerald-green eyes—identical to her own.

This child was undoubtedly her daughter. She could feel it as surely as fate.

But she didn’t know what to say. The child wouldn’t even know Diana was her mother. Diana’s hand, still holding the child, trembled as tears fell silently from her eyes.

Then, from the child’s eyes—fixed intently on Diana—tears began to fall.

And slowly, the child, with her cracked and dried lips from malnutrition, opened her mouth.

“…Mother.”

A shiver ran down Diana’s spine. The moment she heard that word from the child’s mouth, she wrapped her frail body in a firm embrace.

“Oh, my baby!”

Diana didn’t even know her child’s name. She couldn’t call her by name. But right now, just being able to hold her was enough.

Sobbing uncontrollably, Diana gently ran her fingers through the child’s dry, tangled platinum hair. Then, she finally asked the question she’d longed to know.

“Your name…”

“…Icel.”

“Icel… what a… what a beautiful name.”

Even before Diana could ask, Icel had answered in a damp voice.

Then, with her small hand, she hugged Diana’s trembling shoulder. Icel’s eyes, clenched shut, overflowed with tears—years of longing and sorrow bursting forth.

“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry… for not recognizing you… Icel… Icel…”

Diana whispered apologies into Icel’s ear, again and again, as she wept together with her sobbing child.

* * *

After crying for so long, her mind suddenly cleared. How had Icel known she was her mother?

Diana and Icel sat together on a creaky swing in the orphanage courtyard.

Night had fallen, and the stars glittered above them. The sound of crickets brought peace to their hearts.

Neither spoke for a long while. They were mother and daughter separated for 15 years. It was hard to know what to say. An awkward silence lingered.

But their hands remained tightly clasped—as if never to let go again.

Finally, Diana broke the silence.

“…Icel.”

“…Yes.”

“…When did you know… this unworthy woman was your mother?”

Icel turned her head and looked straight at Diana. Her eyes sparkled like the stars in the night sky above.

After a long pause, Icel sighed and spoke quietly.

“I don’t know if you’ll believe me.”

“…What?”

“I’m not even sure if it was a dream or reality… but it still feels vivid.”

“What do you mean?”

“The future I lived through.”

Diana’s and Icel’s eyes met squarely. Diana’s lips parted in shock at those words.

That meant—Icel had regressed, too.

She wasn’t the only one who returned?! Diana’s gaze trembled with shock. But Icel seemed to misunderstand her expression.

Looking disheartened, Icel lowered her head.

“Of course it’s hard to believe.”

“No, Icel.”

Diana smiled warmly at her.

“No matter what you say, I’ll believe it.”

“M-Mother…”

Icel called her “mother,” but her lips twitched awkwardly. It was a word she had longed to say for so long—but now that it came time, it felt difficult.

Yet Diana’s face was filled with emotion—as if witnessing a miracle.

She gently caressed Icel’s rough, scrawny hands with pure affection, then slowly asked,

“Will you tell me?”

“Tell you what?”

“What you experienced… in that future.”

At her words, Icel’s eyes darkened. Even her expression revealed how painful it must have been.

And then, Icel slowly began to speak.

* * *

“Icel! Icel!”

“…Yes, Your Ladyship.”

“I told you to clean my room, not make it messier!”

Catherine stormed toward Icel and slapped her across the face. Icel, too weak from days of hunger, collapsed immediately. Her limbs trembled violently, as if having a seizure.

But even with a child of her own age lying there shaking, Catherine’s fury did not subside.

Instead, she glared even harder and shouted.

“Don’t pretend to be weak. Get up!”

Icel had been abandoned at a poor orphanage with no support. Alicia once told her she should be thankful—saying that even dry bread at the Grand Duchy was better than starvation.

But that wasn’t true. Icel could never forget the day she first entered the Grand Duke’s manor. She had walked in with a hopeful heart, thinking it would be better than the orphanage.

But the noble girl’s eyes had stared at her like an enemy. Her violet eyes were filled with venom—so cold, it gave Icel goosebumps.

An ominous feeling crept into her head. But she had no choice. She was just a poor orphan—a commoner.

Why is it that bad feelings are always right?

For some reason, Catherine would constantly break or mess up things just to blame her. Then came the slaps and pushes.

Her whole body ached. She had spent years trapped in Catherine’s room, living as her servant.

Icel, who lived off moldy milk and hard black bread, had no chance to grow properly.

Her pale platinum hair had become brittle, her skin rough like bark, and her body shriveled and thin.

Despite being the same age as Catherine, she was much smaller and thinner. Her face was drawn and hollow.

She also had the habit of biting her nails when Catherine hit her—leaving her fingers cracked and ruined.

After the Grand Duchess went blind, Catherine’s abuse only worsened. Perhaps she took out her stress on Icel.

Icel raised her head slightly and looked at the still-fuming Catherine.

Then their emerald eyes met. Catherine, angered even more by Icel daring to look at her, stormed forward.

“I said get up!”

“Ugh…!”

Catherine yanked her by the hair. Icel knew if she groaned, it would only get worse, so she silently endured.

Her weak body shook like a twig.

“Your Ladysh—ugh!”

At that moment, Alicia entered the room. Catherine let go of Icel’s hair only after seeing her.

Strands of platinum hair fell lifelessly to the floor. It was utterly miserable.

How long must I live like a beast?

Icel’s fists trembled as she lay on the ground. How many times had she been angry living in this manor? But no one noticed her rage. Or rather—they weren’t allowed to.

She was just a lowly maid. No one would care if she died here.

Alicia’s gaze landed on Icel’s frozen body. She scowled as if looking at something filthy.

“Icel, go inside.”

“…Yes.”

It seemed Alicia had come to deliver something urgent. Icel bit her lip hard and opened the bookshelf door.

Then she heard Alicia’s voice behind her—quiet but loaded with meaning.

“She found out.”

The room behind the bookshelf was only soundproof if the door was fully shut. Icel left it slightly ajar to hear more.

They didn’t even notice.

“She found out?”

“What do you mean?”

“…About your father and me.”

Icel’s eyes widened. The physician and the Grand Duke?

So not only was the Grand Duchess blind—she was being cheated on. Poor woman.

But something didn’t make sense. Wasn’t Catherine the Grand Duchess’s daughter? Why would Alicia say such things to her?

Confused, Icel tilted her head. But then, everything became clear.

“I’m going to lock Diana in the hut at the edge of the estate.”

“Are you sure, Mother?”

Mother?!

Icel quickly covered her mouth to stifle a gasp. Her hands trembled in shock.

What… what was she hearing? Was this whole thing a monstrous lie?

And then came the worst revelation yet.

“She’s blind anyway. On the night before your debut, as long as you get the mining rights from Marquis Pereschte, it’s over.”

“So then, you’ll finally become the Grand Duchess?”

“Yes.”

Alicia laughed proudly like she already held the title.

“When we deal with Diana, we’ll take care of that thing in the bookshelf too. Can’t risk Calypso finding out that is still alive.”

Icel flinched. That thing in the bookshelf—it had to be her.

“Finally, we can dispose of her. The real daughter of that fool who still thinks she’s hers.”

Catherine’s laughter echoed in Icel’s ears. She collapsed in shock.

I’m the real daughter of the Grand Duchess?!

An orphan, a maid—me?

Hands shaking, Icel quietly closed the bookshelf door. As if she’d heard nothing.

Her mind raced. Now everything made sense. Why Alicia had locked her here. Why Catherine hated her so much.

Because they were the fakes. And she was the real one.

They were afraid—afraid the real one would push out the imposters.

Even the Grand Duke didn’t know she was alive.

A bitter laugh escaped Icel’s trembling lips.

She could never forgive them. Those who deceived both her and her mother.

At that moment, blue light began to rise around her. Crystals of ice lit the small room. Her hidden mana had awakened—triggered by rage.

The floor froze beneath her. Icel calmly closed her eyes and focused. She could feel the mana surging through her.

She opened her palm and drew it back—the freezing magic quickly returned into her body.

“…I’ll save you, Mother.”

That longed-for name spilled quietly from her lips.

Her eyes, once blazing with rage, were now cold as the ice around her.

And within those icy emeralds, one thing was clear—fury toward those who had cruelly abused her.