CH 90

The eldest mermaid princess also said that she came all the way here just to convey this message.

“After listening to your story, there’s a question I want to ask. However, I was careful not to talk in front of everyone, so I needed some time alone with you.”

“Was there a problem with what I said?”

“It’s not that it’s a problem… I just think that you’re misunderstanding something.”

Misunderstanding? Wondering what it was, Ophelia leaned forward, and the eldest mermaid princess cautiously opened her lips to speak.

“You mentioned that you swallowed a mermaid scale and returned to the past.”

Ophelia nodded, and the eldest mermaid princess’ cautious expression grew deeper.

“There’s not much known about a mermaid scale, so it’s no wonder you’re under such a misconception… The magic that mermaids wield cannot go against nature.”

“…What do you mean?”

“Only human mages can use magic that contradicts the laws of nature. A mermaid’s magic cannot go against nature. It’s the same with turning back time.”

So even if the incantation was through conditional magic, it was still taboo.

“If you swallow Ariel’s scale, that still doesn’t mean you can reach the present.”

Ophelia’s heart dropped. Unbeknownst to herself, this was something she had been trying to deny.

“That can’t be true. I didn’t do anything, and I didn’t lie either.”

“I don’t mean to say that you did something to go back in time. I’m saying that you misunderstood. A mermaid’s scale will, at best, only briefly grant the mermaid’s wish prior to their death.”

This meant that although one could wish to kill someone, it was not possible to go against the laws of nature and turn back time.

“A scale is merely a by-product of death and it cannot do something so difficult.”

“But— Right after I swallowed the scale, I found myself here.”

“Think about it again. What could have happened after you had swallowed the scale?”

“Ah…”

“Don’t trace just your own memories, but take a step back and shed a light on the situation. Did you notice anything strange after you came here?”

While Ophelia fell into contemplation over this, the eldest mermaid princess said that she’s mentioned everything she needed to say and wished Ophelia luck as she left.

This led Ophelia, who was shocked and troubled by the new facts presented to her, to return to the sunset spot.

She continued to agonize over this as she, tak, tak, dusted off her moisture-less dress.

‘Anything strange?’

No matter how much she thought about it, she couldn’t think of anything other than Ian regaining his memories just like her.

The rest of the events that transpired had changed, too, because she came back to the past with her memories intact.

‘But since Ian can remember the past just like me, then what does that mean?’

Perhaps it was a glitch in time?

Or maybe there was more to the mermaid scale.

There’s something you wanted to tell me…

‘Wait a minute.’

Something that was going to be said to her?

When her train of thought reached this point, Ophelia inadvertently stopped in her tracks and she was lost in her thoughts.

This was because there was a missing puzzle piece.

And she had a hunch that this would be the biggest key to solve the gap between what she could recall and what the eldest mermaid said to her.

So, Ophelia traced her memories for her the times she met Ian before.

What Ian said and how he behaved.

And, she finally remembered something.

Back when she had warned Ian against sending the carrier pigeon.

Ian explained in this way.

—It’s been more than eight years. I’ve forgotten.

Eight years.

‘Why did I forget about this?’

Ophelia spent five years of her life as a grand duchess.

But Ian mentioned eight years.

This was a contradiction that could not be overlooked.

Then, just as the first mermaid said, Ophelia could interpret it like this—that something more happened after she had swallowed Ariel’s scale.

‘I don’t want to, but.’

She thought that she must ask Ian and listen to what he’d say about what happened during that time.

There might just also be a way to confirm if this regression to the past was truly not the work of the mermaid scale.

This was because of one thing that’s been nagging at her.

It was when the eldest mermaid princess explained something about magic.

—Only human mages can use magic that contradicts the laws of nature. A mermaid’s magic cannot go against nature. It’s the same with turning back time.

In short, this meant that the only ones who could go against time were human mages.

When Ophelia heard this, she thought of one person.

Of course, it was none other than Alejandro Diarmuid.

The one who allowed her to live her life as Ophelia, her friend who was a mage.

‘Did Alei… use magic to save me?’

If he did…

As Ophelia thought of this, there was one scene that popped up in her mind.

To determine the location of the magic tower, Ophelia had asked Cornelli about this and that. At one point, their conversation turned to this topic:

“Cornelli, there’s something I’m curious about. Can I ask you?”

“Of course. Ask me anything!”

“It’s about being exiled from the tower. What are the cases that could lead to this?”

“I don’t know much of the details because it’s not something common, but first of all, the most common case is when someone uses black magic. It’s such an unthinkable act that the magic tower’s decision would be banishment.”

Or, Cornelli continued, it’s also common to exile violent criminals. This was through the discretion of the lord of the magic tower or other high-ranking mages.

But this wasn’t the answer that Ophelia was looking for.

“I asked because I was curious about why Alei had been exiled, but neither of the two cases seem to be the reason why he was exiled.”

“Um, you’re right. Lord Alejandro was exiled, but… His whereabouts were unknown, so in the middle of the search for him, he was finally found through the magic tower.”

To be exact, he was first reported to be missing.

Alei was capable of teleporting, so they thought that he might have just left in a hurry.

However, no matter how much time passed, he didn’t appear again. When everyone was worried and started asking around if he was having some personal problems, that was the time when the magic tower, which had been as silent as the dead before this, spoke only once.

“Alejandro Diarmuid has committed the crime of going against providence. That was the last thing the magic tower said.”

It went back to slumber after that and nothing else was said, Cornelli explained further.

“If it’s going against providence, as it’s been said, the first thing you’d think of is black magic. But Lord Alejandro isn’t the kind of person who’d do that, so everyone had divided opinions on this.”

With tears brimming in his eyes again, Cornelli said that if Alei had really used black magic, it was so terribly worrying that they didn’t know what to do, but against their concerns, nothing like what they imagined happened, so it’s truly fortunate.

While Cornelli said this, Ophelia had been asking a few questions so that she could find out the cause of Alei’s banishment. She was a little disappointed that, once more, she wasn’t given the answer she was looking for.

It was enough to make you question why he was exiled when these two things were put together—first, just what kind of violation Alei did against providence, and second, how he vanished into thin air just like that.

‘But what if he turned back time?’

Then, to some extent, it finally made sense.

Defying time and space was considered to be the greatest crime against the laws of nature.

As Ophelia came across new facts, it felt like she was inching closer and closer to the truth.

Ophelia bit her lower lip once, then she spoke.

“Sante, I need to go back to the castle right away.”

She had to see Alei as soon as possible.

* * *

Ophelia landed in the garden of Ladeen Castle. As Sante had set her down, he loosened and hid his wings. After that, Ophelia said,

“Sante, let me ask you one thing. You sent me off alone to the open sea, so I’m sure you can do at least this for me.”

“My wings will break if it happens a second time.”

“I was wondering if Alei had returned from the temporary temple yet. If you see him, please tell him to come visit me. It’s because there’s no other messenger as fast as you.”

As Ophelia spoke urgently, Sante’s eyes narrowed.

“You’d better fix that desperate tone in your voice.”

Every time he heard this, it was troubling since he’d inevitably get himself involved.

Sante replied like so, then he opened his fur cloak.

Then, soon enough, a golden bird reminiscent of an eagle soared through the dark sky.