An elemental was a being born from a specific place or natural object. So one could’ve been born in a place like Ariadne’s Phantom Library as well. So what exactly is this Phantom Library? Why am I able to come and go from here? The question Ariadne had buried away because there had been other, more urgent matters had arisen anew.

Pi extended her two hands, each with a bottle, to Ariadne who was tilting her head to the side in confusion. “Here, here.”

“You did a good job keeping them safe. Thank you,” Ariadne praised as she took the bottles from Pi.

Right, the Phantom Library’s identity isn’t important right now. She had to make a deal soon. She couldn’t be at ease till then.

* * *

Unlike her resolve to get the negotiation over with as soon as possible, Ariadne couldn’t leave her room for a good while. Since she had been in bed for so long, her body had become weaker. Thin broth was the only thing she could eat, and her movement was limited to her bedroom, where the floor was covered in soft carpet. Nearly everyone besides the doctor and Lucy, who’d been assigned as her personal maid, had been banned from entering the room. After resting for nearly a week like that, her doctor finally cleared her for regular meals and light walks. Thanks to that, Ariadne would be dining with the margrave for the first time.

Lucy helped Ariadne into a small dress. “It’s been a while since we’ve had a young lady in the castle, so these are all outdated clothes from storage,” she told Ariadne apologetically. “I did bring the best one out of them, but... I’m sorry. It’s quite old, isn’t it?”

“No, it looks just like new,” Ariadne replied. She meant that. The dress had been so well cared for that Ariadne wouldn’t have noticed if Lucy hadn’t mentioned it. The thick lavender dress was lightweight but warm. It fit her snugly, and Ariadne liked how it felt on her. Since the length reached just below her knee, it was also comfortable to move in.

“Thank you for your understanding, my lady,” Lucy said. She finished dressing Ariadne by tying a ribbon around her waist, then brought a mirror for the girl to see herself. “What do you think?”

Ariadne looked at her reflection. The dress looked prettier than she had thought it would, and it suited her well. “Pretty. I like this dress.”

“Yes, it looks perfect on you.” Lucy gave Ariadne a pleased smile, thinking with approval, She’s gotten some color back in her cheeks.

Ariadne tilted her head to the left, then to the right, held on to the hem of her dress with one hand, and twirled, still watching herself in the mirror. Lucy took a deep breath at the sight. How adorable! If the young lady hadn’t been in front of her, she would’ve screamed for the world to know how cute Ariadne was.

Meanwhile, Ariadne inspected the dress with newfound curiosity. The margrave only has one son. If there’s a dress of this size in Weaver Castle, then maybe... “Is this... one of my mother’s dresses from her childhood?”

Lucy’s eyes widened in surprise. She covered her mouth and gasped, babbling excitedly, “Why yes, I believe so! I heard this was a garment the previous margrave’s youngest daughter loved! That would be the current margrave’s sister, meaning your mother. No wonder it looked so good on you, my lady.”

Ariadne gently stroked the lace on the dress. It’s really one Mom used to wear... She felt a wave of wistful longing and strange tenderness. Gloria was the only beloved mother she’d had over the course of two lifetimes. It had taken her two lives to finally be granted a mother, only to lose her so soon.

I miss Mom... She tried to hold back tears. Out of love for her mother, she had to try her best to survive. If Ariadne were to join her too soon, she would be sad.

“Your mother is surely smiling from heaven,” Lucy said as she finished getting Ariadne ready.

“What do you mean?” asked Ariadne.

“It’s not my place to say so, but... If I’d been my lady’s mother, I think I would’ve been very happy,” Lucy said as she affectionately extended her hand out to Ariadne to lead her out of the room.

Ariadne took it and asked, “Why?”

“A daughter liking the clothes that her mother used to wear when she was young, how lovable would that be? She would be happy to know that her daughter is visiting the home where she grew up as well,” Lucy replied

Ariadne looked around as they walked. There were tapestries in the corridor embroidered with a snow leopard and snowflakes, deep purple carpeting, silver candle holders along the wall, and long windows.

That’s right. This is where Mom spent her childhood. Ariadne had forgotten that fact. She tried to imagine her mother as a child, a little brunette in a lavender dress running along the corridors. Mom did tell me that she was pretty mischievous when she was younger.

“When I was younger, I fell down running in the corridor and got this scar. Look, here it is. So be careful, because if your soft skin is scarred, I’ll be so sad, I’ll cry like a baby,” her mother had told her playfully as she faked crying. “In my hometown, there would be so much snow during the winter that everything would look white from the windows, and I would get scolded for drawing on them because they looked like paper.”

The hallways Mom ran in, the windows she doodled on, the castle she lived in. Mom’s home. Suddenly, this strange place felt warm and welcoming. Lucy watched Ariadne look about her with teary eyes, slowing her steps with a smile so the young lady could come to learn her mother’s home.

The margrave was waiting for her by the dining hall entrance. His brow furrowed sadly when he recognized the dress Ariadne was wearing, the dress Gloria had loved when she was young.

“That dress...” the margrave started. He choked on his words and cleared his throat to hide it. The words “It looks good on you” got stuck in his throat. He focused on staring straight ahead to hide the reddening of his eyes at the memory of his youngest sister.

Now that I think of it, she doesn’t have enough clothes to wear, he thought. He wanted to give his only niece the best of everything. I’ll have to go and hunt for soft fur to make her a coat and a scarf. A black sable or an arctic fox would be good. “I’ll call the tailor soon to make you some new clothes,” he told her.

But his harsh tone discouraged Ariadne. Maybe he doesn’t like that I’m wearing Mom’s clothes. Is it because I don’t look like her? The sense of closeness that had welled up in her on the way over immediately dwindled to nothing. Don’t be disappointed. You knew this would happen. Ariadne reminded herself of her plan and entered the dining hall.

The dining hall of Castle Blizzard was enormous. The stained glass windows shone colorful shadows across the grand marble table. The margrave’s chair was at the head of the table, while Ariadne’s was at the other end, the customary seating arrangement for the host and his guest. Since the table was so big, the distance between them was also great. If the tiny Ariadne sat at such a distance, the margrave wouldn’t even be able to see her face properly. He jerked his chin toward his side and ordered, “Move Ariadne’s seat.”

“Yes, sir,” the butler replied, immediately moving Ariadne’s chair next to the margrave’s as if he’d anticipated the command.

Ariadne grew a little more disheartened. Does he mean I don’t deserve the courtesies due to a guest because I showed up uninvited?

Oblivious to Ariadne’s misunderstanding, the margrave thought the posture of the child sitting next to him was far too rigid. “Make yourself comfortable and eat, Ariadne,” he encouraged.

“All right...”

The margrave told her to make herself comfortable, but Ariadne couldn’t. She nervously lifted her spoon, which was quite big for her. There was probably no cutlery fit for children in the castle, and as it was a formal occasion, it would be disrespectful to substitute that spoon with a teaspoon, like when she ate broth during her recovery.

Ariadne considered the size of the spoon and only scooped a little bit of the egg dish that had been served as an appetizer, enough to eat in one bite. It was bad etiquette to leave half-eaten food on a spoon, so she ate the big egg dish little by little. Chew thoroughly before swallowing, she reminded herself. She was afraid of getting indigestion since she hadn’t eaten anything besides broth in a while and because she was so nervous. The faint memory of throwing up on the archmage’s clothes came up, encouraging Ariadne to chew properly.

Don’t get sick. You have to tell him about the Elixir right after dinner. Although Ariadne was serious, her behavior had spellbound those around her. The small child chewing so dutifully with a serious expression was just too cute to ignore. The way she held the spoon was adorable, and her small bites were reminiscent of a chick pecking at its food.

Feeling eyes on her, Ariadne took a look around her. The servants stood along the dining hall like at Eldier Castle, the only difference being their attitudes and expressions. Everyone in Castle Weaver looked and acted kindly. At least here, they won’t snatch my spoon away while I’m still eating. The tension she was feeling faded some, and she was finally able to taste the food properly. It’s delicious. Because she had only been eating broth, the simple egg dish tasted amazing.

Ariadne ate to her heart’s content, then lifted her head. She made eye contact with the maid, who smiled and placed the next dish in front of her. She’s smiling at me, too, just like Lucy. She then experimented by making eye contact with every servant in the room. Everyone who met her eyes smiled at her warmly and slightly bowed their head. No one’s avoiding my eyes, or looking me up and down coldly, or frowning. It was nothing to be excited about, but Ariadne’s cheeks still flushed from the excitement. It really is different.

It was different from being surrounded by those who the duke ordered to keep an eye on her at Eldier. Before Ariadne found the memories from her past life, she had worked so hard to be loved by her father, the only person that smiled at her when no one else would.

That bastard only smiled at me in the study, though. Even after Ariadne remembered her past life and knew that it was all just a ruse to manipulate her, she couldn’t help being swayed from time to time.

Her young heart wouldn’t listen to her grown-up mind, because… she was so lonely.