The first week was like milk and honey to the soul. Not only her young and clear face, with the only blemish being the red scab left behind from the pearl, but her childhood room, her old haunts, and her family's presence did much to lift the heart. Forget lifting, it was soaring.

I escaped those flea-bitten mongrels! I won!

With such good results too. Not only had she turned back the past, but she'd gone far enough back to have never touched a toe inside that damnable house. It was beyond what she had dared to hope for.

It seemed all that was left was to reacquaint herself with home.

The Zizan Clan was neither major nor minor. To put it more specifically, for its wealth, it was an odd family in the city of Nix. It had no representative sorcerer, so it was not a true bloodline. Yet the money the family made from selling valuable herbs and exotic plants made it difficult to be ignored in the lands of Nix, where winters were harsh.

Neither did the family put on the airs of being a recognized bloodline. There were no servants in the Zizan's house. Calces Zizan, the current head and Aureum's father, was a frugal man who grew up as less than a servant himself. He focused his wealth back into his business. The house that he lived in had his family in it alone.

This might be ill-advised had Calces decided to live on the outskirts or in the lower districts, but he had moved his family to the guarded Pearl district of Nix. Where his small manor was one among many, much larger homes. Their neighbors, the higher priority targets, never deigned to visit. It was a pleasant arrangement for Aureum's mother.

Such a silly thing, that clans were originally how the families of sorcerers distinguished themselves. But then other families raised themselves into clans. So the families of ascended sorcerers separated the term for their clans as bloodlines. A family is a family, a clan is a family, and a bloodline is a family. Yet, most families didn't have the luxury to care for bloodlines.

This is what Aeternitus had agreed to accept as law across the land when so many other things were up to debate from city-state to city-state. Sorcerers, those who formed a pearl in pursuit of the flight of a dragon, were what was valued above all. So, was the price of Aureum losing her pearl too great?

"Hahahaha!"

She laughed every day. That's how little that price was to her. The faces of her family stiffened whenever they saw this.

"Mom, will she be all right?"

"She's just going through a difficult time, my dear Luck."

"All right."

The soft and worried voice belonged to Felixia.

"Don't worry, we've already sent a letter for him to come. Maybe he will help her heart."

"Really? I don't know."

"Well. He gets to try."

Aureum was in far too much wonder of her own life to sweat such minor murmurings.

She figured the visitor might be the doctor, or a doctor of some kind, and decided she would tell a limited version of the truth. A very limited version of the truth. Honestly, it would probably consist of three words over and over.

I don't know.

Which about summed it up. Even though she understood that the potion was the reason and that a lot of mana was involved, being back felt like a fever dream she'd wake from. The true questions for her weren't about the past, but the new future.

I just don't know.

With so large a change, how could her emotions be stable? All she needed was time to acclimatize.

She figured there would be enough understanding for a few months. Even if the cause was not what they thought. Given time, she never doubted she would adapt back to her old life.

People are very adaptable.

The past, or the future, the future-past was only a dream now. It had never happened. It would never happen. It simply didn't matter.

Despite her ignoring the news, her visitor came the next day. She was in her mother's garden, feeling the idle breeze and soaking in the fresh smell of new growth. A pleasant smile spread across her face.

"Aureum!"

When she heard his voice her smile froze.

No.

She turned around, the smile fading as she did so. Emotionless eyes were all that she displayed.

"Aureum," Nivis said again, as he grabbed her hand to kiss it.

But she jerked it away.

He looked up, his hand empty, with a bit of shock. Then he smiled with understanding.

"Yes, this might not be the time for this."

He stepped closer to her, and she stepped back. He stopped.

"I heard you've been having a tough time."

His voice conveyed confusion.

"As you can see."

It was still a scab on her forehead. Everyone could see. Of course, Nivis was not everyone. He was beneath them. It wasn't impossible he needed it explained to him.

Dog-cheating, father-loving dung.

His face hesitated. She had once thought that face was beautiful. It's not like she could look at this younger version of his face fondly in her memories, but that was the past. He hadn't done anything today.

Father-loving piece of filth.

Aureum tried to calm herself, as her jaw began to clench.

The younger version was innocent! Is innocent!

The emotions she felt now were greater than at the party.

"Did I do something wrong?" Nivis said.

"No."

Aureum spoke without missing a moment.

The problem is that you did nothing at all.

What bitter thoughts was this banal puppy making her have. It had been a pleasant day just a few moments ago. She rubbed her temple.

Why the hell was she trying to act like a lady?

"I came as soon as I knew, Aureum. It may have felt long. I'm certain for you it was a long and troublesome time. But I won't abandon our engagement over just this. Don't worry."

He took another step and reached out to touch her.

"You are still beautiful—

Smack!

The loathsome hand that was nearly touching was slapped away. For a second she froze, but then she realized.

She would no longer face the same retaliation as before.

"Why—

Smack!

Another slap rang out. This one left a red mark on his cheek. He looked at her with real shock. Her expressionless eyes absorbed the sight.

Smack! Smack! Smack Smack!

She kept going. It would have been harder to stop.

"Wait—

Smack!

"Aureum!"

Smack!

Only after seven slaps did the bastard fully back up, holding his cheek. The other five to the face had only been glancing blows. He hadn't just stood there and let her slap him. She kept her hand raised.

This expressionless woman, with a back straight enough for a queen, and a strong sense of being wronged. No one seeing her would imagine her as a young woman of twenty, newly engaged. No matter how frilly or frivolous her spring dress looked.

And she wasn't.

"Get out."

Aureum spoke with perfect diction, a measured voice. Her hand was still raised.

"Have you completely lost your mind?" Nivis said. "No, that came out wrong. But I need you to talk to me!"

"Get."

"Out."

She took a step forward at the second word. He nodded.

"It seems my timing was bad. My bad. I'll go back first."

How dare you keep your composure.

After everything I went through following your sweet lies!

"You being of a normal clan won't affect our relationship."

Nonsense!

"It will just be a few minor adjustments, like speaking differently."

Criminal understatement!

"My father will accept you, the woman I chose."

That Cyclops would only accept a puppet!

"We'll figure this out together, Aureum!"

...

"Your wife has once again transgressed against the sense of decency and decorum, Nivis."

"She wasn't raised like we were."

"I said before that this would be the last time. If you refuse to manage her, I will. For now, let her be retained."

"Nivis?"

Aureum's voice had been pathetically quiet.

"Yes. Father."

What love. What love?! To roll over like a poodle and hand over your toys to your daddy dearest!

Aureum lowered her shaking hand. Nivis was already gone. The memories that hadn't bothered her in the midst of the house of Nix came upon her like freshly cut wounds. It must have been that fresh face of his.

So different from how she remembered seeing it before. Open towards her, and kind.

Her teeth clenched till her jaw ached.

Or was it the over familiar attitude? When all that they could have been was already cut off.

She shook her head.

Maybe it was just the unpleasant surprise. She had felt extremely lax these past few days. Too careless.

It hadn't even occurred to her that she was engaged to Nivis. The face she saw in the mirror looked too young for engagement. Besides, her ring hadn't been on her finger.

A piece of worthless gold and diamond that should just be left in the first passing muck. Where could it have gone? The doctor must have removed it, and she hadn't gone looking for it. If it wasn't on her finger, she figured she was free.

Too thoughtless. It was too much to expect a perfect miracle.

Although, another train of thought arose in her head.

If I still have it...

I should sell it.

Gold is best when it's your own, after all.

Good riddance!