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The golem looked back and forth between her pale, slender hand and his own hard, gray one.
Why was he different from her? Why was her body delicate while his was dull and coarse?
The newly born golem was curious about everything he saw, but his curiosity was not something his exhausted master could afford to consider at the moment.
> “So if you truly hate the work, you don’t have to do it. I can just destroy you and make another golem that will obey me.”
> She’ll destroy me?
> Please wait, Master! Try persuading him a little longer…! In your current condition, casting new magic would be too difficult!
At Andion’s worried plea, Karia felt a surge of irritation. Ever since she woke up this morning, she had been holding back and holding back some more.
The very fact that she, who once ruled over the entire continent, was now treated like an unwanted burden wherever she went was infuriating.
And yet, when she finally returned to her past, all that remained was a faded, worn shadow of former glory. Even her own golem, which she had made with her own hands, dared to defy her commands!
> “Do you know who I am? Asmoph Rubaltverh is the greatest alchemist on the continent and the most powerful mage! On the battlefield, I led the charge even after going without food for over ten days! This much—this much is… Urgh!”
Suddenly, her heart pounded violently and her legs gave out.
> Master!
Magic is the art of rearranging the mana that exists in nature to create miraculous phenomena. But just because it uses nature’s mana doesn’t mean it comes without cost.
The driving force behind mana is the caster’s mental strength. That mental strength is amplified by emotion, and because of that, casting magic is always accompanied by extreme fatigue.
Furthermore, if one casts magic while angry or depressed, they can easily enter a dangerously excited state—so mages must always remain calm.
> “Damn it—”
Karia collapsed on the spot as all the strength left her body.
And she realized something—she had driven herself into a corner so badly, she’d even forgotten the most basic principles of magic.
Yes, that was it. She was not just the once-great “Asmoph Rubaltverh.”
She was also “Karia Pandeon,” the woman who had lived her whole life never raising her voice, always tiptoeing around others. And Karia did not have the strength of heart to face moments like this with grace.
> —ster! M—…!
Slowly, her vision darkened and her ears rang. Her body felt heavy, but her mind felt light. The darkness beneath her eyelids gently drew her into a restful dream.
—
What spread out before her eyes was a star-filled night sky. Beneath it stood a woman.
Her cheeks red and the tip of her nose frozen, she stood under the open sky, braving the night wind.
This was the terrace of Rubaltverh Castle—the grandest castle in the capital outside the royal palace.
> “Madam, what are you doing out here?”
> “Ah, Gilford.”
A sweet voice, like thick melted sugar, called out to her. When she turned around, a man with shimmering silver hair stood there like a star.
Could this be what the gods of beauty in myth looked like? Seeing the handsome man, a smile naturally appeared on her lips.
The silver-haired man named Gilford gently draped a thick shawl over her shoulders, concern in his eyes.
> “The wind is chilly.”
> “The stars were too beautiful.”
> “I see. Perhaps it’s the clear weather after a long time.”
She couldn’t tell him that she had been remembering the nights on the battlefield. On nights when they fought off sleep in fear of ambushes, there were always beautiful stars in the sky no matter what horrors happened on the ground. How sorrowful and beautiful that was—
But all of that was in the past. Smiling gently, the woman held her husband’s hand and looked up at the sky.
She fully embraced the peace won through the lives of many friends and enemies. And she was grateful for that peace—for the sake of the dead.
> “Ah, a shooting star.”
> “Oh no, it passed too quickly. I didn’t even get a chance to make a wish.”
There’s an old saying that if you make the same wish three times on a shooting star, it will come true.
The man pouted, disappointed, but the woman smiled gently.
> “It’s okay. In this beautiful castle, I have you, and I have Eddie. I don’t wish for anything more.”
Her words were pure, without a shred of pretense. In her childhood, she wasn’t even treated as human—she barely got one meal a day. But now she was a duchess, a wife, and a mother.
What more could life possibly offer? Her husband responded with a wordless smile, and she knew his heart must be the same.
> “Then come in slowly. I was writing a letter upstairs and saw you, so I came out just to bring the shawl.”
> “A letter? To whom?”
> “—That’s a secret.”
Oh my, not to another woman, right? she teased playfully. The man laughed and bowed with exaggerated formality, joking that no one could ever dance with him behind the Grand Mage’s back.
They shared a lighthearted laugh, and he kissed her cold hand before heading back inside.
> “Wow, didn’t know the boss could smile like that.”
A rough, low voice broke the quiet on the terrace just then.
Frowning, the woman looked down to see a large, calloused hand grab the edge of the railing.
From the darkness crawled a man dressed head to toe in black. Clicking her tongue in annoyance, the woman said:
> “Noah, I swear I’ve told you a hundred times to use the door.”
> “Isn’t this a door too? A window.”
Shaking her head, she advised him to at least change his outfit if he didn’t want to be mistaken for a burglar. But as always, Noah ignored her advice and launched into his own complaints.
> “Come on, isn’t this unfair? I’ve known you longer than your husband and put up with more of your moods, too!”
> “Then you should’ve been that handsome.”
> “Handsome? He looks like an unfinished elf sculpture.”
He pouted like a child. Seeing the man, who was large as a bull, whining like that made the woman laugh.
> “So, what brings Sir Noah to this elven couple’s home?”
> “—No reason.”
> “This isn’t a tavern you drop by when you’re bored. It’s a home.”
> “Just! Just… the stars were pretty.”
The woman narrowed her eyes. The man before her was not someone known for poetic remarks. Seeing her skeptical expression, Noah blushed and looked away.
> “It’s because the stars reminded me of you! I remembered all the times we stood watch together under the stars. Is that so wrong?”
> “I didn’t think you’d ‘cherish’ those long nights on the battlefield. I thought all you remembered was getting hit when you fell asleep.”
The woman laughed genuinely, surprised to learn he, too, was reminiscing about those times.
Noah frowned at her laughter, but hearing it, he couldn’t help but smile, too.
They had met on the battlefield ten years ago, officer and subordinate. As orphans of the world, the two had formed a lasting bond.
> “Your punches hurt, you know. No one forgets that after one hit.”
> “Seems like your new title’s gone to your head. If you miss it so much, I’ll beat you again under the moonlight—how’s that sound?”
> “Ow! I’m too old for that now! Seriously, back then…”
Once the memories started flowing, they didn’t stop. Though the times were hard, those rare peaceful moments shone even brighter—just like stars in a dark night.
> “Mama!”
But the nostalgic conversation was cut short by the sleepy voice of a child.
> “Oh no, Eddie woke up. If you’ve got nothing urgent, you should head back.”
> “I’ll wait till you put him back to sleep.”
> “Next time. It’s too late already. And dress warmer—the nights are cold.”
She tossed the shawl over to Noah, and it draped loosely over his shoulders.
Without another word or glance, the woman hurried inside. Even after she disappeared, her presence lingered on the terrace.
> “This is bad. If Eddie wakes fully, getting him back to sleep won’t be easy.”
Far off, the faint, whimpering voice of a child echoed in her ears. “Mama, mama…” he called, and she ran down the long hallway of the castle, etiquette forgotten.
But no matter how far she ran, the corridor never seemed to end.
> Mama.
Was the hallway always this long? And did Eddie’s voice always sound so thin?
> Mama!
Her vision began to blur. Like rising from the depths of a lake, the world of Rubaltverh Castle slipped away.
> “—Eddie?”
When she suddenly opened her eyes, Karia realized it had all been a dream. Cold air stung her no
se, and something heavy was pressing on her chest.
She looked down.
> “You…”
> You’re awake?
> “Did you call me?”
> Yeah, Mom.
At the golem’s bold reply, Karia made a strange face.
Had she heard wrong? Or… did the golem really just call her “Mom”?
