Chapter 119

Felix stared blankly at him. Little One chuckled as if he found Felix’s expression amusing.

“I’ve only ever heard about you in stories, but it was nice to meet you like this. You two really suit each other. Truly.”

By now, his entire body had turned translucent. Little One took a few steps back from them.

“I’ll be going now. Please…”

Live happily, even without me.

With those final words, Little One’s body disintegrated into dust and scattered. She belatedly reached out to grab his hand, but there was nothing to hold onto. Her hand merely brushed through empty air.

All that remained where Little One had stood was a single tear stain, a lonely reminder that he had been there.

• I can’t promise that. I probably won’t see you again. Since the future has changed, it’s unlikely another Little One will come.

She replayed Little One’s words in her mind. 

What could have changed in the future that made it impossible for him to return?

She needed to know. She opened the diary Little One had given her. However, just as she was about to read the first page, her brother William called out to her from a distance, running toward her.

“Elly!”

Her brother grabbed her shoulders and inspected her thoroughly.

“What on earth happened? You were kidnapped by Anguis?!”

Felix calmed her brother down.

“Elly must be exhausted. May I take her home first?”

“Yes, that would be best.”

“And the statement…”

“I’ll tell them it can be written later. Just take Elly back quickly.”

Thanks to William’s consideration, she boarded the carriage with Felix. As soon as she sat down, she hastily tried to open the diary, but Felix stopped her by holding her hand.

“Later.”

“No.”

“Elly, you nearly died. You need to rest first.”

“But…”

She needed to know. Why couldn’t the Little One return? Why couldn’t they meet again?

However, Felix took the diary from her, preventing her from reading it.

He only returned the diary after they reached his house, where she washed off the remnants of magic and slept as if dead. When she woke up, the sun had already set again.

“Here, read it now.”

She opened the diary Little One had left behind. It was identical to the one she was writing, but this one was much older and worn with use.

She flipped it open. Unlike her own diary, which was barely half-filled, this one was written almost to the very end.

She turned to the page Little One had marked. From that point on, it contained stories of a future they didn’t know.

[Professor Deros is part of Anguis. He said he’s researching time-travel magic to save the Second Prince.

In the end, he used me to get Felix to join the rebel forces. Although I escaped safely, Felix couldn’t get out.

At the very end, Felix told me to take the Christian family and leave the country as soon as possible. But is that the right thing to do? How could I leave Felix behind? I’d rather die with him than leave him.

Should I tell William everything and ask for his help?

What should I do?]

The handwriting trembled as if written with shaking hands. In reality, her future self must have been trembling as she wrote this diary.

She could guess the emotions her future self must have felt while writing this, and it made her chest ache. She felt like crying.

But the next entry was even more shocking.

[I’m pregnant. Eight weeks along. Felix sent another letter urging me to leave for the Genoa Empire immediately.

I had to make a choice. Should I choose Felix, or the baby who hasn’t even been born yet?

I still don’t know.]

[Professor Deros and Felix have been captured. To save Madam Jane, Tony, and Lindsey, I had to flee before their crimes could be fully revealed.

In the end, I decided to head to the Dallas Kingdom with the Christian family.

I planned to meet Ophelia there and ask for her help to safely reach the Genoa Continent.]

[Felix has been executed. Ophelia brought me the news.

What should I do now?]

This entry was so soaked with tears that it was hard to read. As soon as she read the first sentence, she couldn’t hold back her sobs and buried herself in Felix’s arms, crying her heart out.

“If it’s too hard, you can stop.”

She shook her head even as she cried. Little One must have given her this diary to reveal the whole truth.

Out of respect for Little One’s intentions, she decided to continue reading.

As she sobbed, Felix read the diary aloud for her.

It recounted how, with Ophelia’s help, the Christian family had safely moved to the Genoa Continent, and how the Bellote family had fortunately avoided harm.

It also told of how she had given birth to a baby boy alone.

[I decided to name the baby Felix. Felix Junior. It was the only clue I could give to a child who would never know his father.

But every time I called him Felix, I felt like crying, so I decided to give him the nickname ‘Philly.’

Philly, our Philly. I will raise him well.]

[I miss Felix so much I feel like I’m going crazy. I miss him terribly.]

[I’ve made up my mind. I will save Felix. Just as Felix once tried to save my mother.]

The subsequent entries contained hypotheses about time-travel magic.

She took the diary from Felix and began reading it herself.

[When I returned from the Kingdom, I noticed an unfamiliar yellow bracelet on Philly’s arm. Upon closer inspection, I realized it was the artifact Madam Jane had once shown me. Yes, the very artifact Felix had used as a child.

Since the Christian family was destroyed, this artifact should have disappeared as well. So why was it on Philly’s arm?

I asked the nanny, but she said it was her first time seeing it.

If even the nanny didn’t know, who could have put this bracelet on Philly? No one had come to visit him. It sent chills down my spine. Could someone be targeting Philly?]

She turned page after page of the diary.

[While I was away, Philly said he met me. Based on what he said, it seems that Philly traveled to the past and met me there.]

The diary then delved into numerous theories.

By this point, she understood. Her future self had raised Little One with the nanny while traveling back and forth to the Kingdom to gather information. During that time, Little One had traveled to the past.

And her future self must have continued her magical research based on the hints Little One provided. However, when she revisited the Kingdom, she was discovered as the wife of a traitor and executed.

[The formula is almost complete. But I don’t have the skills to implement it. Who can I ask for help? Is there anyone who can assist me?]

The entries from ‘her’ ended there. From the next page onward, the handwriting changed. The neat script was replaced by slightly uneven letters.

[To Mom.]

The moment she read those words, she knew this was a letter from Little One to her. A single tear fell onto the letter.

Oh no, the letter might smudge. 

She quickly wiped her tears and continued reading.

[It feels strange to call you ‘Mom’ after so long. If you’re reading this letter, it probably means everything has been resolved. I hope you read this letter.

You have no idea how much I missed you. It would be a lie to say I never resented you, but my longing for you always outweighed my resentment.

Mom, my beloved Mom.

I was so happy to meet you. Especially watching the school festival with you—it was more wonderful than I ever imagined.

It was amazing to learn that you had an academy life just like me. I never thought of you as anything but an adult.

I also loved seeing my father, whom I’d never met before. He was even more incredible and wonderful than I imagined, or than you ever described.

If it’s him, he’ll love and cherish you forever.

Mom. I’ll never forget the time we spent together for the rest of my life. If I have any life left, that is.

If you’re reading this letter, it means the future has changed. I will no longer exist.

But I’m not sad. Because you and Dad are alive. And because I can hold onto the hope that the three of us will meet again someday.

Mom, Dad. I hope we can meet again.

Until then, please stay healthy and happy.

From your son, Felix Junior Christian.]

She cried endlessly as she read the letter. By the time she finished, she couldn’t hold back her sobs and broke down completely.

She already missed Little One.

Her Little One, her Philly. 

Would we truly never meet again? Would Little One exist only in my memories?

Perhaps it was because she had used so much magic and cried so much, but suddenly, her head spun. She grabbed Felix’s arm for support.

“Felix, I feel dizzy.”

She had been holding on with sheer willpower, but now she had reached her limit.

“Elly!”

Felix’s startled voice was the last thing she heard before she lost consciousness.