Chapter One
She woke up in that hazy moment when one fully drifts away from a dream.
In her groggy state, however, she realized the daughter beside her seemed to be gone.
Though Merlin had been in a deep sleep and she had stayed by her side, checking on a child’s location upon waking was a mother’s instinct. Whenever Ophelia woke up in a daze, even if she couldn’t open her eyes, she would subconsciously reach out and gently feel the space beside her.
Only when her fingertips touched that familiar warmth and felt the steady rise and fall of her daughter’s breathing would her racing heart settle.
Today, however, her fingertips met only the cold touch of the bedsheets.
Ophelia’s hand patted the space beside her in a panic.
There was no soft hair, no warm body, and even the original mound of the covers had vanished.
In an instant, her sleepiness washed away as if she had been doused with ice water. Ophelia bolted upright, her heart constricting violently.
‘Oh no!’
Ophelia was wide awake now. Propping herself up with her hands, she scanned her surroundings.
‘Where’s Merlin? Why isn’t she in bed? Where did my big daughter go?’
‘She couldn’t have fallen off the bed in the middle of the night, could she? But Merlin was always a very well-behaved sleeper.’
However, even if Merlin had woken up, she wouldn’t have left the house without saying a word. Ophelia knew her daughter.
‘This is bad. Could someone have kidnapped her?’
She rummaged through the room, checking the wardrobes and even under the desk, but there was no sign of Merlin in the small wooden cabin.
Ophelia didn’t even stop to brush her messy long hair. She threw on a coat and stumbled toward the entrance.
She shoved the cabin door open, and the biting, fresh morning air rushed over her. She planned to check the perimeter first to see if there were any clues.
In that moment, her gaze froze.
On the balcony in front of the cabin, a small figure sat on the railing, which was only waist-high to an adult.
It was a little girl who looked about 5 years old.
She had long hair as deep and mysterious as the ocean, currently fluttering gently in the morning breeze.
The little girl’s feet dangled in the air, kicking back and forth. Those eyes, which were usually always contemplating something, looked exceptionally pure right now. She was quietly gazing at the rising sun and the scenery of the Academy in the distance.
She wasn’t crying or making a fuss; she was as quiet as an elf who had strayed into the mortal realm.
…Well, she was an Elf to begin with, and a Princess at that.
Though the little child before her looked only about 5 years old, Ophelia knew at a single glance.
This was Merlinlia.
No mother could fail to recognize her own daughter.
As for why a 15-year-old girl had turned into a baby after waking from her slumber…
‘It was likely caused by the Soul Damage.’
Although Ophelia’s residence was in a relatively remote part of the Academy, there were still a few upperclassmen passing by. They watched from a distance with curiosity as little Merlin sat there in a daze, swinging her legs.
“Merlin.”
Hearing the call, the little girl turned her head slowly, her movements carrying the lethargy of someone who had just woken up.
“Mm.”
‘By the way, how did little Merlin climb onto the railing? It’s twice her current height.’
‘Even though she’s turned into a baby, her wild side is still so strong. She’s such a handful. It would be terrible if she fell.’
Ophelia stepped behind little Merlin and, without hesitation, reached out. She carefully yet firmly lifted her off the railing and pulled her into a hug.
Feeling the warm, soft, and petite Merlin in her arms, Ophelia finally breathed a sigh of relief.
At least she hadn’t wandered off or been kidnapped.
Even while held in Ophelia’s arms, little Merlin didn’t struggle. Like a lethargic kitten, she snuggled into her mother’s embrace, staying perfectly still and obedient.
‘I wonder if Merlin kept her memories after turning into a child.’
Ophelia adjusted her hold so that little Merlin was facing her, attempting to strike up a conversation.
“Merlin?”
Little Merlin blinked her eyes, her expression somewhat dazed and adorable.
“Mhm.”
Ophelia stared intensely into those eyes.
“You still recognize Mama, right?”
Little Merlin simply replied with those big, sapphire-like eyes, “Mama has two…”
Ophelia gently stroked the baby’s head. After turning into a child, even her body temperature seemed higher; she felt warm and cozy in her arms.
She coaxed her softly, “Which two?”
“Ophelia and Cecilia are both Mama…”
“Yes, how smart.”
Relieved, Ophelia planted a kiss on her forehead.
It seemed she had retained her memories, but her mental state had temporarily regressed to that of a child.
“Why did you get up and leave without telling Mama? You scared me.”
Faced with the accusation, little Merlin puffed out her cheeks, seemingly a bit indignant.
“I didn’t go anywhere…”
She lowered her head, her two index fingers tapping against each other.
“I just wanted to… feel the wind.”
‘Heavens, how can a baby be this cute?’
Ophelia originally wanted to continue her lecture, but she no longer had the heart for it.
However, her behavior was just as reckless as before.
“Why did you climb onto the railing to feel the wind? It’s very dangerous.”
“Mm… I just wanted to climb.”
‘Just wanted to climb?’
Ophelia didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. It seemed that even after turning into a baby, her impulsive desire for action hadn’t changed at all.
‘Wait, if I educate little Merlin properly now, can I correct her etiquette after she recovers?’
‘Big Merlin is as stubborn as an ox!’
Thinking of this, Ophelia held up a finger with feigned seriousness.
“It’s very dangerous. Promise Mama you won’t do it again, or else you won’t get any chocolate.”
Little Merlin’s eyes instantly widened, her previous calm vanishing completely.
“What! Is there chocolate?”
Ophelia, of course, knew her daughter loved chocolate.
Seeing her daughter’s adorable, craving expression, Ophelia couldn’t help but chuckle.
“There is, but you have to go back with Mama to wash up, change into a cute little dress, and finish your breakfast first.”
Little Merlin answered curtly and decisively. For the sake of chocolate, what was a little compromise?
“Okay.”
‘She feels much easier to talk to than the 15-year-old Merlinlia.’
Ophelia nodded to herself. Previously, Merlin had been either stubborn or argumentative, hissing at her every day. She had no idea what the girl had been thinking.
Seeing Merlin so full of energy, a warm current surged through Ophelia’s heart.
Though she had become a baby who needed care, it was much better than her lying in bed in a deep sleep, leaving Ophelia in an endless, anxious wait.
Just as the mother and daughter were about to go wash up —
*Crackle, crunch.*
The crisp sound of someone stepping on fallen leaves came from outside. The sound grew closer with a rhythmic pace, clear evidence that the visitor was familiar with this place.
A flash of silver light appeared in their vision.
A silver-haired girl stood before the cabin, the morning sun spilling over the tips of her hair, making it shine brilliantly.
It was Lucia.
Indeed, it was around this time that Lucia came to visit the sleeping Merlin almost every day before school.
She stared at the blue-haired baby in Ophelia’s arms.