TPPPE 04

Chapter 04 ….

After receiving a “treatment that wasn’t really a treatment” from Lisa,

she went out for a moment to assess the situation and returned soon after.

And she was holding food in her hands.

It was food prepared with far more care than what she normally ate.

“Even the children in the streets, gathered for the Day of Mercy, are eating the same meal. The Duke himself ordered it,” she said.

“Really? That’s such a relief.”

I smiled, pretending to know nothing.

It seemed she had completely emptied the ledger the temple had collected for donations.

‘Since the number of sponsored children is enormous, at least the first digits of the funds must have changed.’

One of my objectives had been achieved. I happily scooped up some soup.

Yet, for some reason, Lisa’s expression was not cheerful.

When I tilted my head in confusion, she spoke with a heavy expression.

“I’m sorry, Milady.”

“Hm? Sorry for what?”

“I should have acted first as an adult, before you stepped in…”

She must have been thinking of the time I had explained my situation in front of the priests in painstaking detail.

Even the nobles had shown signs of discomfort, so one could only imagine how Lisa felt.

“No, Lisa. Don’t say that.”

“…Yes?”

I blinked at her and replied firmly.

“You don’t have to step in for me.”

After Lisa died, I came to understand one thing:

There’s nothing sadder than losing someone precious.

And I never wanted to experience that kind of grief again. One heart-wrenching experience was enough.

Of course, I couldn’t say that out loud, so I spoke brightly instead.

“But the Duke punished them, right? Bert got scolded badly too, so he won’t be able to bother me anymore. Right?”

It was obviously nonsense.

Not only had they lost money, but they had been humiliated in front of the nobles. Their mistreatment toward me was more likely to worsen than to lessen.

Lisa must have known that too.

“…Yes. That’s true,” she said with a forced smile.

She was agreeing with me just so I wouldn’t get hurt.

Lisa really was a good person.

‘But Lisa… it will happen.’

Because I would make it happen.

Clenching my fist, I took a small bite of bread, like a victorious athlete biting a medal—the same bread I had used to teach Bert justice.

“Ouch!”

“Ah, Milady! Are you okay?”

Of course, the secret was that it was so hard I nearly broke a tooth—something only Lisa and I knew.

That night.

Taking advantage of everyone being asleep, I sneaked out of my room.

I was heading for Agnito’s library.

There was something I needed to check.

It seemed the servants had left early for the Day of Mercy, because the library door opened easily.

‘It should be around here… ugh!’

At a height I could barely reach, I found what I was looking for.

It was a history book of the four ducal families, documenting Agnito’s successive heads and their direct descendants.

The current empire was protected by four ducal families, each with a unique ability, centered around the royal family.

• East: Agnito of Spring, able to hear the voice of God.

• South: Hellaira of Summer, able to wield wind powers.

• West: Rustig of Autumn, able to wield earth powers.

These three families possessed abilities granted by God.

Meanwhile, there was a family not blessed with an ability but wielding the power of darkness—the North, Stukkia of Winter.

Here, “darkness” referred to magical power, different from abilities.

Abilities were God-given, while magic was an energy born from the earth and evil forces. If misused, one could be consumed by magic and lose sanity.

It was an evil and powerful force. That Stukkia once wielded power comparable to the royal family was no surprise.

‘Though that was a long time ago.’

I closed the book. No matter how I searched, there was no record of any ability related to regression.

Which was as I had expected.

If someone possessed a regression ability, it would be a power strong enough to challenge even the throne, let alone a ducal family.

‘Anyway… it really was just as that kid said.’

I recalled fragments of a past that had now vanished.

When I had just turned thirteen,

the Agnito household was busy preparing for the Day of Mercy.

Since they needed to look good in front of the temple and the royal family, they even opened their personal vault to make everything more extravagant.

It was the day when street orphans could eat their fill and freely call priests and nobles “parents.”

But not me. Unknown to everyone, I could neither enjoy a delicious meal like the other orphans nor call anyone “parent.”

That wasn’t unusual. It was just another ordinary day.

But…

“Waaah! Thank you!”

“Linda, did you thank Duke Agnito properly?”

“Thank you, Duke!”

The laughter of other children sounded so loud.

It made me so envious.

It made me so sad that even Lisa, my only ally, was gone…

“Sniff… sob…”

Late at night, when everyone was asleep, I was quietly crying alone.

Thunk.

Something fell into my room.

It was a small bundle of paper, having come through a broken window.

I crawled over and opened it.

[Be quiet.]

Simple, straightforward words in neat handwriting.

I got up and looked around, but no one was outside the dark window.

I stared at the note for a moment, then picked up a pen.

I had at least learned to write, just in case I ever manifested my sacred power.

[Sorry for being noisy.]

I wrote a reply, trying to hold back my tears, then opened the window and tossed the note outside.

But there was no response from outside.

I had hoped to meet someone, but had to suppress my feelings again.

After standing there for a while, I turned back to my bed.

Thunk.

Something else fell again.

Another message was written under mine:

[You look really ugly when you cry.]

They saw me!

I quickly ran to the window and peeked outside.

But no matter how hard I looked, I couldn’t see even a shadow.

I hurriedly wrote another reply.

[Can you see me?]

Then, worried I might not get a reply, I stepped away from the window.

After a while…

Thunk.

A reply arrived.

[I can see you.]

I eagerly replied again.

[Then why don’t you show up?]

Thunk.

[Because crying is ugly.]

My heart sank.

[I won’t cry anymore. Could you show up?]

I quickly wrote back and wiped my face, leaning out the window.

But no matter how long I waited, no reply came.

I returned to bed and fell asleep.

For the next few days, I had no time to think about that note.

Because that very night, someone had destroyed the Agnito armory.

After the saint’s power disappeared, Duke Agnito tried to expand his influence through the arms business.

But the damage happened just before the Day of Mercy, so no investigation could be conducted. The staff had to live in fear, wary of the Duke.

A few days later, late at night…

Thunk.

Something arrived through the window.

[It’s quiet today.]

“…!”

A reply came.

I wrote back with joy.

[I didn’t cry today.]
[Good, that’s normal.]
[I won’t cry again.]
[Alright.]

And so our correspondence began.

[My name is Hanisha. What’s yours?]
[I don’t have a name.]
[Then your age? I’m 13.]
[Older than you.]

I had told everything about myself, but they revealed nothing. Name, age, appearance—nothing.

The only thing I could tell was that we were roughly the same age.

[Thanks for coming again today. I’m so glad to see you often.]
[I can’t come often.]
[I know. But still, thank you. You know… my wish was to have a friend my own age.]

They wrote with sincere feelings.

I thought things were going well, unlike the first day…

That was the end of that day’s conversation.

Later I learned that when something was inconvenient or unavoidable, they simply wouldn’t reply.

‘So picky…’

I felt a little annoyed, but after that day, I never asked them anything.

It was the first friend my own age I’d ever had. That alone was enough.