At Isana’s words, Leticia just blinked her eyes.

Isana smiled quietly.

“You don’t seem to realize how amazing what you’ve done is.”

Isana was an ordinary human.

She was neither of Basilinte bloodline nor a great magician like Astrid.

That’s why Isana could feel much more deeply the miracle this child had created.

“Do you know how many people have gathered by the river you created, even at this late hour?”

Most were people who had never seen this much water in their entire lives.

People sat blankly, staring at the river. Those who sat once did not leave their spots.

People kept increasing as if everyone who heard the news had rushed over.

People filled the area, even where the river was not visible.

They looked reverent like priests in prayer and excited like children anticipating a festival.

There was an expectation that something would change from this moment, a hope that things would get better.

“Despite so many people gathering, there wasn’t a single commotion, as if they were afraid of being cursed. Everyone was scared that the river before their eyes might disappear if they made even a small mistake.”

Neither the Basilintes, who could overcome any cruel trial, nor Astrid, who wasn’t originally from this land, knew this.

Perhaps even the child before her, who came from the Empire, didn’t know.

But Isana knew.

“This land can never go back to how it was before you came.”

People will be anxious like someone who has obtained something they thought they would never have in their lifetime.

“Not knowing who you are, they will be afraid of losing you.”

Leticia felt Isana’s incredibly warm words as unbearably heavy.

Not knowing what to say, she just bit her lips.

“After you leave, I’m going to tell people that Astrid’s young disciple created this river. People will cheer at those words. Because it means what they see before them is not an illusion, but a reality created by someone.”

“I’m… not such an amazing person.”

Isana opened her eyes wide at those words. Then she shook her head.

“I didn’t say it to make you feel burdened. I’m not telling you to become an amazing person. I’m not asking you to do anything.”

She quietly confessed her true feelings.

“It just means that we’ve come to love you that much.”

Leticia was dazed at those words.

Looking at her, Isana smiled slightly and whispered.

“Living with the Basilintes, I learned one thing for certain. If you don’t say it, the other person doesn’t know. Especially if it’s about feelings.”

***

On the way back to Basilinte’s main castle, Leticia could see the river from very far away.

To be precise, she didn’t see the river but the people who had gathered around it in large numbers.

The sound of flowing water was drowned out by the murmuring of people and couldn’t be heard.

But Leticia leaned against the carriage window and listened quietly.

Instead of seeing the river, she saw excited people, and instead of hearing the water, she heard expectant murmurs.

“Would you like to see the river once more before we go? Should we stop by?”

At Astrid’s question, Leticia shook her head.

“No. I’ve seen enough.”

As she said this, Leticia’s gaze was directed outside the window.

She hesitated before asking.

“What name was given to that river?”

She had heard that Isana would name the river on behalf of the Basilinte people, who weren’t interested in naming things in the first place.

After all, Keshall, the city alongside that river, was also Isana’s hometown.

“Laetitia. Isana said it was the name used two hundred years ago, before the river dried up.”

“It’s pretty. Laetitia.”

“So they decided to use the same name. Ah, of course, the pronunciation has changed a bit these days. It would be stranger if it remained exactly the same after two hundred years, wouldn’t it?”

Astrid took Leticia’s hand and wrote letters on her palm with her finger.

At first, Leticia smiled slightly because it tickled, but as each letter was drawn, her smile froze, not knowing how to react.

“This is how it’s written, and in today’s pronunciation, it’s called like this. Letitia [lætítĭa; joy].”

Astrid grinned and asked.

“Isn’t it a pretty name?”

“…Yes.”

In the moving carriage, Leticia answered very quietly after a long while.

“It’s pretty. The river’s name.”

***

[1 month later, Astrid’s research journal]

Cute.

“…Mentor.”

“What, why, what.”

“What is this meaningless, contentless record?”

“You’ve become quite strict, my disciple.”

***

[2 months later, Astrid’s research journal]

So cute…

“Strictly speaking, this is my research journal. I can write whatever I want.”

“….”

“Who told you to open your eyes so cutely?”

***

[3 months later. Astrid’s research journal on Basilinte’s curse]

The longer the magical power transfer period, the cuter the magician became.

Stop it, Mentor.

“Hilda! Look at this!”

Astrid, flipping through the journal, burst out laughing.

“Look at how she crossed it out because she was embarrassed. Isn’t it too cute? If it were Tan, he would have already bitten this up and buried it in the ground if he didn’t like what he read.”

Astrid was the type to do all sorts of things to make her disciple embarrassed, using cuteness as an excuse.

However, Hilda just nodded her head while looking at Astrid with pure admiration.

Watching them, Hallik coldly pointed out the reality.

“Since Tan cannot read, your assumption doesn’t hold in the first place, Your Grace.”

Astrid frowned.

“I told you not to call me Your Grace.”

“I apologize. Lady Astrid.”

“We should just get formally divorced already, seriously.”

***

[6 months later, Tan’s diary]

Chamuka. Die.

“Tan, what is this? Did you fight with Chamuka again? What was it about this time? Did you think it wouldn’t be visible if you erased it?”

“Leti bad. Why are you looking at someone else’s diary?”

“What nonsense is this? I picked this up after you threw it in the fireplace. If you didn’t want others to see it, you shouldn’t have thrown it away!”

Tan pressed his lips together in indignation.

He resented Leticia a little for asking when and why he fought with Chamuka again.

Dad and Grandfather said children naturally grow up fighting.

Leti was good in every way, but she always took Chamuka’s side. Always sleeping with Chamuka at night.

I want to sleep with Leti, too.

He couldn’t say that he fought with Chamuka after sneaking into Leti’s room at night because he was upset that Chamuka got to sleep with Leti every night.

Nor could he say that he lost again.

“Leti, I hate you!”

With that, Tan ran out.

***

[7 months later, Tan’s diary]

Leti is gone.

“Hmm? Leti went to Grandfather. She’ll be back after a hundred nights.”

“Why?!”

Because I said I hated her? But I apologized!

“Why, Tan? Originally, Leti needs to spend 100 days a year with Grandfather.”

“I don’t like it!”

“It’s not something that can be changed just because you don’t like it. Play with Dad. Mom has to go now.”

Tan’s eyes lit up at the sight of Astrid’s travel luggage piled up.

“You’re going to see Leti, right? I want to go too! I’m going too!”

“No.”

“Why only me? I want to see Leti too! I want to touch her! I want to sleep with her!”

Tan clung firmly to Astrid’s leg.

But shortly after, Chamuka swiftly removed Tan.

“Have a safe journey, Mother.”

“Nooooooo!”