Published: August 10, 2026
She had the same blazing red hair as I did.
A slender chin with little in the way of charm, restrained lips, and sharp, intelligent eyes that slanted slightly. Her irises were a bright ocher color. She wore plain traveling clothes, and it seemed she wasn't wearing any makeup; her white skin was dotted with many freckles. Even so, she was breathtakingly beautiful.
A graceful hand was placed over Papa's large one. With the trusting gesture of a wife who had complete faith in her husband, she stepped down from the carriage.
She was a very tall woman. But compared to my memory—compared to when we'd parted half a year ago—she didn't seem as much taller anymore. Looking into my face, she—Marie Shadelan—Mama—whispered,
"I'm home. You've grown so much, Elisabeth."
"—Mama!!"
I threw myself at my mother.
She staggered under my weight, wobbling a little, and Papa quickly steadied her.
"Careful. Lisa, be mindful. Marie still isn't completely recovered."
Papa scolded me, and Mama pointed at him with her index finger as if scolding him right back.
"It can't be helped, Lord Cyrus. I've been away from Lisa for six whole months."
"But..."
"It's all right now. I'm completely better."
Mama said with a radiant smile. It was so beautiful, so lovely... Papa's face turned red, and he had no choice but to back down.
Apparently, the balance of power in our house tilted toward my wife.
"Now then, Lisa, come here! You must have been lonely, haven't you? Don't worry, Mama isn't going anywhere again."
"Mama...!"
This time I hugged Mama for real. She immediately hugged me back tight.
Warm, soft, and smelling so nice. Mama, Mama, Mama—was being held by Mama always this wonderful? Just six months ago, she had hugged me like this every day, but I'd forgotten during the time we were apart.
Mama, Mama... I love you! I love you!
Why was Mama alive? I had thought she was long dead.
What was Papa and Wolfgang talking about that night? Was it all just a bad dream I'd had?
Then why hadn't Mama come home for six months? Had she left Papa and me behind?
Where had she been? What had she been doing? Had she remembered me? Did she still like me?
Mama, I love you—Mama, do you love me too?!
Questions and emotions kept overflowing from deep inside me, spilling out and never stopping. In the end I couldn't say anything at all, and could only keep making meaningless wailing sounds. Tears spilled down in streams, soaking my chin.
Ah, I'm already six years old, you know. I'm not supposed to be the kind of selfish child who cries like a baby.
As if to make the sadness, loneliness, and love I'd been holding back known to the whole world, I rubbed my head against Mama's chest and cried my heart out while clinging to her desperately.
Mama held me in silence. From time to time, she gently patted my back to comfort me.
"I'm sorry, Lisa... I truly made you lonely. And I couldn't even properly explain why I was away..."
Honestly, by then, the reason didn't matter anymore.
"When I left this castle, I discussed it with your father and the attendants. It was decided that I might not be able to come back here for years. And maybe I'd never be able to return at all. So, in case that happened, we agreed to say I was simply away on a trip. Until the day you were old enough to understand your mother's death—"
...Death? She might not be able to come back?
Then... that really wasn't a dream!
"Mama, were you sick? And so you were hospitalized somewhere, getting treatment?"
I asked through sobs, and Mama somehow let out a soft laugh.
Very happily, somehow.
"About one-third right, the rest wrong. For the past six months, Mama has been—"
Just then.
Another person poked their face out from behind Mama, from inside the carriage.
...Someone I didn't know.
She was a small woman, with dark chestnut hair braided into two plaits. Her expression was blank, and I couldn't read her feelings at all. But her blue eyes were unexpectedly round and had a small-animal sort of charm.
When she saw my face, she inclined her head in a slight nod.