Chapter 4
“Let’s meet again if we get the chance.”
Asha left with those words, and Trisha was left troubled.
Her biological parents were now going to become her adoptive parents — what an absurd irony.
The idea of entering the very mansion she was born and raised in as an adopted daughter was bewildering, but at least if she became a member of House Binz, it would be easier to contact the Magic Tower.
The Tower was an infamously closed-off organization. Even if she were to show up uninvited, they wouldn’t help her research — she’d be lucky if they didn’t slam the door in her face.
Even if she were a noble.
‘But if I’m an adopted daughter of House Binz…’
At the very least, they wouldn’t throw her out. She’d at least get to sit in the reception room. After that, it would be up to her.
Trisha comforted herself with that thought.
“What’s your name, dear?”
Even at the gentle voice of the countess, she couldn’t answer.
After a brief hesitation, Trisha looked up at Rens.
“…I don’t have one. I’d be grateful if you gave me one, madam.”
For Trisha, that was the best option.
After all, “Trisha” wasn’t truly her name either — her parents had given it to her.
‘It’s just a name. Nothing more. Until I can reveal who I really am, I’ll live under whatever name they give me.’
Whether it was Trisha or Perisha, it would make no difference to her if her parents were the ones to give it.
But unlike Trisha’s calm acceptance, the couple’s expressions turned complicated.
“Oh my…”
They looked at the small girl before them with pity.
She clearly seemed to be the daughter of their deceased child — their beloved Trisha. To them, she was already a granddaughter miraculously brought back to them.
They had no idea when or with whom their daughter had conceived a child, but one thing was certain: this little girl had lived a life far too harsh for her age.
Judging by her words, she didn’t even seem to know that her mother was Trisha Binz, the great archmage.
A child who lost her mother so young, living without even a name.
‘Oh, Trisha…’
The count and countess lamented as they thought of their daughter.
She’d been a genius, yes, but eccentric — impossible to understand at times!
Her personality was difficult, but she had a kind heart.
They exchanged glances. Without saying a word, their eyes confirmed a shared thought.
‘Let us cover our hero daughter’s memory in peace.’
‘Yes, that’s best.’
Their decision was made. Though it was based on a complete misunderstanding.
Rens steadied her voice and smiled softly at Trisha again.
“Yes, since it’s a new beginning, a new name would be fitting. Once we return home, we’ll visit the temple and receive a good name.”
As she spoke, she gently stroked Trisha’s hair.
In her smiling eyes shimmered a faint sorrow.
‘A child who looks exactly like Trisha.’
After their daughter vanished, life had been sheer torment for the couple.
Even now, their hearts tore apart whenever they thought of their daughter, who had saved the world and disappeared without a trace.
A little girl, found where their daughter’s comrade had been searching for her remains.
Even if, by some chance — however small — this child wasn’t truly Trisha’s daughter, they had already decided it didn’t matter.
‘Perhaps this child was sent to us by fate.’
It had to be divine providence.
And maybe now, they truly needed to let their daughter go.
Feeling her vision blur, Rens quickly turned her head away so the child wouldn’t see.
Not long after the count and countess left the room, Trisha sat up.
Now that she was back at the mansion, it was time to figure out what had happened to her.
She got up and headed toward her old room.
But—
“I’m sorry, miss. This is the room of Lady Trisha, the eldest daughter. No one but the master and mistress may enter.”
The butler and servants stopped her before she could enter.
She nearly screamed in frustration.
‘I am the owner of that room!’
She wanted to shout it, but still — no sound came from her throat.
“…”
And the sympathetic looks they gave her only made things worse.
She could practically read their thoughts.
‘That poor child — Lady Trisha’s daughter.’
‘She lost her mother so young, doesn’t even know her name… how tragic.’
They had completely misunderstood, and to them, she must have looked like nothing but a pitiful child.
Trisha felt suffocated under those looks.
‘I never even held a man’s hand! How could I have a child!’
It was enough to drive her mad. But short of revealing her identity, there was no convincing them.
After several failed attempts, she finally gave up and turned away from her beloved room.
“Sigh… I wanted to at least check the records in there.”
Murmuring to herself, she wandered toward the mansion’s rear garden — her usual place to think when troubled.
The garden looked quite different now compared to when she’d left to slay the dark god.
It had already been three days since her return, and so far, she’d only learned one thing.
“What day is it today?”
“Hmm? Let’s see… It’s the 22nd day of summer, Imperial Year 443!”
That meant she had a three-year gap in her memory.
She had defeated the dark god with her comrades in the winter of Imperial Year 440.
She’d thought she awoke right after being swallowed by darkness, yet… three whole years had passed.
‘Three years. I’ve lost three entire years of memory. To me, that battle feels like it was just yesterday…’
No wonder Asha’s hair had grown so long.
The bare winter branches had grown new leaves, and the flowers of the warm season now bloomed in radiant color.
‘Time really has passed…’
She slowly took in the changed garden — familiar yet altered.
Of course, it was the mansion she had been born and raised in.
‘Well, enough of that.’
About to get lost in sentimentality, she clenched her eyes shut and cut off her thoughts.
She needed to focus on her situation — not reminisce.
There was no time to waste.
Trisha began to organize her thoughts.
At first, she had assumed that becoming younger meant she’d somehow gone back in time.
‘In ancient times, they said there were people who called themselves regressors…’
It was unbelievable, but some of the recorded cases were convincing enough not to dismiss entirely.
However, after meeting Asha, she realized that only she had become younger. That ended the regression theory.
‘Then… rejuvenation?’
Trisha, being the Tower’s second-in-command, was well-versed in magic — including curses and dark arts.
But a curse that could reverse age, alter one’s magical nature, and seal one’s identity so completely that she couldn’t even speak of it?
Even she had never heard of such a thing.
‘Is it even a curse at all?’
She’d assumed it was, since it happened after being engulfed by the dark god’s shadow… but that was just speculation.
“I have to recover my lost memories…”
She murmured softly.
Trisha sat quietly inside a rattling carriage, watching the scenery pass by outside the window.
Across from her, the count and countess watched her with mixed feelings.
‘We left early this morning — she must be tired. And yet, she doesn’t fidget or complain…’
‘How mature she is for her age. How much hardship must she have endured to become like this?’
They looked at her with such pity, but Trisha was oblivious to their thoughts.
The carriage came to a stop.
“We’re here, dear. Be careful getting down.”
The warmth of the count’s hand as he helped her down nearly made her tear up.
They had arrived at a temple — specifically, the Great Temple near the Imperial Palace.
The previous night, after hearing about the situation, the count and countess had visited her room and said:
“Dear, would you come to the temple with us tomorrow?”
“The temple?”
“Yes. You’re to receive your new name, remember? And to register it officially, we’ll need to go there anyway.”
To register a child into a noble household was to formally bind them as family. Like a marriage oath, it was conducted before the gods in the temple.
‘A sacred vow, indeed…’
Though uneasy, Trisha had nodded.
“Welcome.”
A priest, who seemed to have been waiting for them, quickly approached as they alighted.
“We’ve been expecting you — Count Binz, Countess Binz. And…”
His gaze flicked toward Trisha.
“…the young lady without a name. Please, this way. The officiating priest is waiting inside.”
