Time Healer Ceres

“Wh... who died?”

“Lord Tonio joined the recent Black Forest subjugation, and...”

Nailia’s vision swam.

“Lady Nailia!”

She had loved him for more than ten years.

When they were children, she had cared for him as a friend. But somewhere along the way, that affection had grown into something deeper, until he became one of the most precious people in her life.

That was why she had confessed her feelings, and he had returned them.

But then...

Despite still being nothing more than a knight apprentice, Tonio had suddenly declared that he would join the Black Forest subjugation. Everyone tried to talk him out of it, but his resolve never wavered.

He said he would return with great achievements to his name. He said there was something he wanted to tell her when he came back.

But then, not long afterward, the news arrived. Tonio had died in the Black Forest.

Bang!

She had gone to collect his belongings.

“...Brother? What are you doing here?”

Prince Alex was there.

“W-What are you burning?! Stop!”

The object engulfed in flames in his hand was a letter.

“Brother!”

She snatched it from him and hurriedly smothered the flames, but it was already too late. Most of the letter had been reduced to ash, leaving only a few fragments behind.

[Nailia, I love...]

Only then did she realize what it was: Tonio’s final letter to her.

How many times did she cry over that charred scrap of paper, staring at the few words that remained?

“Why... Why would you do that?!”

“......”

She couldn’t understand Alex’s actions at all. She resented him, then resented him all over again.

And yet, he never offered an explanation. In the end, he left the capital once again without saying a word. All that remained were the burnt fragments of that letter.

“.....”

Princess Nailia let out a long sigh as she looked down at the scorched piece of paper tucked safely between the pages of a book.

“There’s something I really want to tell you when I return from the subjugation.”

Was this what he had wanted to say?

Her fingers brushed over the remaining words.

“Lady Nailia!”

Just then, Aria came hurrying over. Ceres followed a step behind, apparently having been dragged along by her.

“Are you looking at Lord Tonio’s letter again?”

“Yes...”

A faint, wistful smile touched Nailia’s lips. Seeing it, Aria’s eyes reddened.

“Prince Alex was so cruel. Why would he burn it...?”

The smile on Nailia’s face softened. Aria always seemed to voice the hurt and anger she kept buried inside.

Prince Alex burned it?

Until then, Ceres hadn’t paid much attention to the letter in Nailia’s hands. But at the mention of Alex’s name, her gaze shifted to it.

Hmm.

It looked like a love letter.

That was unexpected.

She hadn’t known Prince Alex for very long, and she certainly couldn’t claim to know him well. Still, based on what she’d seen so far, he didn’t seem like the type who would involve himself in someone else’s romance.

“That letter must have been Lord Tonio’s confession to Lady Nailia... It’s heartbreaking.”

“There’s no helping it.”

As Aria sniffled, Princess Nailia brushed her fingertips over the charred fragment of the letter again.

“Couldn’t it be restored?”

“Huh?”

“...Restored?”

Both of them turned to look at Ceres.

“A restoration potion would fix it.”

She had seen Artia use one before.

“Grace! Look, I finally did it! A magical potion of my own!”

“A magical potion?”

“You just apply it like this. Give it ten minutes, and even something completely broken will be good as new! Amazing, right? If you ever need anything repaired, just come to me!”

“Why would Grace need that?”

“Huh?”

“She could restore it faster than you. All she’d have to do is turn back time.”

“Ah...”

After Kainel shot him a look of pure disbelief, Artia never brought it up in front of her again.

Even so, restoration magic certainly existed.

“Is there magic like that?”

“Really?”

...What’s with those reactions?

Wait. Does restoration magic not exist anymore?

“Answer me honestly. Is that really true?”

Perhaps she shouldn’t have said anything.

Princess Nailia’s face was usually impossible to read, but there was no mistaking the flush of excitement coloring her cheeks.

Though that’s not the strange part.

Nailia’s reaction made sense. Anyone in her position would cling to a sliver of hope.

But Aria... Why does she look so nervous?

“Yes. I have the potion.”

“—!”

The two girls’ expressions changed at once, though in completely different directions.

Nailia looked like she could hardly believe her luck. On the other hand, Aria seemed even more unsettled than before.

Watching her, Ceres felt a flicker of interest.

***

Creak.

The classroom was empty while the students attended an outdoor lesson.

The door opened quietly, and Aria slipped inside. Keeping her footsteps light, she headed for Princess Nailia’s desk.

Where is it?

She quickly searched through the drawer and the top of the desk, her movements growing more hurried by the second.

Then, she found a book. A faint smile crossed her face as she opened it and flipped through the pages. Soon, the item she had been searching for came into view.

The burnt fragment of the letter.

“.....”

For an instant, irritation flashed across Aria’s face.

“Tch.”

Clicking her tongue, she reached for the fragment.

“What are you doing?”

“—!”

The familiar voice came from directly behind her. Aria froze and spun around.

“C-Ceres.”

Ceres stood there with her arms folded, watching her.

“I asked what you’re doing.”

“Huh? Oh... I was looking for something.”

“In someone else’s desk?”

“Um, I lent Lady Nailia something a while ago.”

Ceres glanced at the burnt scrap of paper.

“Hmm. You mean that letter?”

“W-What? No.”

Aria quickly set both the letter fragment and the book back before hurrying over.

“It was on the floor. I was just about to pick it up.”

Then, she slipped her arm through Ceres’s and smiled.

“I’ll ask for it back later. Come on, let’s go.”

Ceres didn’t pursue the matter. She merely cast one last glance at the book Aria had put down.

“By the way...”

Aria’s voice turned oddly careful when she noticed where Ceres was looking.

“Can that letter really be restored?”

“Probably.”

“Where did you get a restoration potion?”

“Someone gave it to me.”

“Who?”

The questions came one after another. Ceres looked at her quietly.

After a brief pause, Aria smiled again.

“I was just curious. Lady Nailia seemed so hopeful. If it doesn’t work, she’s going to be very disappointed.”

“That’s true.”

“She already doesn’t think very highly of you. Wouldn’t it be better to tell her there was never any potion? Just say you made it up.”

“Now?”

“Better that than getting her hopes up and disappointing her later. I’m worried about you, Ceres. I really am.”

Aria clasped her hands together, her eyes reddening as though she were genuinely worried.

Ceres patted her on the shoulder.

“I’ll take care of it.”

“Ceres, listen to me. You’re going to regret this. Do you know how frightening Lady Nailia can be?”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

“You...”

Aria bit her lip. No matter what she said, Ceres refused to give her the answer she wanted.

Leaving her behind, Ceres headed for the door.

“You’re going to regret it!”

The shout followed her a moment later.

Regret, huh...

There was a strange desperation in Aria’s voice. Ceres smiled faintly.

***

“Damn it...”

Thud!

Even after classes ended, someone could still be found wandering the academy building, taking his frustrations out on anything within reach.

It was Feik.

After provoking Ceres and backing down because of a single pen, he’d become a laughingstock among the students.

“That b*tch...”

Why did he react like that? Was he really scared?

The more he thought about it, the more ridiculous it seemed.

Fear? As if he would be afraid of someone like Ceres Drow.

Thud!

He kicked the wall again, harder this time.

At this rate, everyone would keep looking down on him.

“Hm?”

Someone caught his eye. Sitting alone in an empty classroom was Aria.

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