She just happened to stop by the Mistral church, but what she saw there was without a doubt Storage Magic that bent space and time.
‘What is your name?’
‘Reina? And you miss?’
‘Edinburgh. You’re going to be my pupil.’
‘Eh… I don’t want to.’
The child said no. It seemed she wanted to be a nun like the others there.
Edinburgh was not the best at talking people down, but what she found was a rough diamond. She could not let her get away, so she called Zephir, and had him talk about the wonders of being a mage.
Reina was a smart child. Once she realized that becoming a mage would make things easier for the nuns and children there, she accepted.
And so, Edinburgh taught magic like she had learned before.
Reina had the talent for all kinds of elements, and Edinburgh was satisfied with the way she learned magic theory, like desert sand swallowing water.
She almost killed her a few times, but she was convinced that there was strength beyond overcoming adversity, so she thought that was good.
But it was not good for Reina. Although Edinburgh decided to raise her carefully and in a way that did not destroy her talent.
◇ ◇ ◇
One day, late at night, Edinburgh noticed Reina fell asleep at a desk, and took her to bed.
‘Small… Like a small animal.’
It seemed obvious, considering she was not even ten years old, but it felt new to Edinburgh.
‘Humans break so easily. Let’s be careful.’
For the first time since she decided to kill her heart, she found herself caring for someone, and it surprised her.
The girl that was sleeping was doing well. She was still green, but Edinburgh felt her potential.
That was why she did not stop her harsh training, even as others around her tried to stop it.
She left her on a mountain range with powerful monsters, convinced that overcoming that would make her stronger.
‘You’ve become good at cooking.’
‘It’s because you’re so fussy about the taste! Even though you don’t do anything!’
She could just be good at magic, but when Edinburgh tried to say that, she was angry.
When Edinburgh thought maybe she did something wrong, she was again surprised that she still had those emotions.
Since Reina had grown to a certain extent, it was time to train her directly, and Edinburgh beat her until she was barely conscious.
A normal mage would have been scarred by fear, and would never recover, but…
‘I’ll hit you… At least once… So…’
Reina glared at her, with fire still in her eyes.
After being beaten several times, Reina became stronger, and received the nickname Myriad Mage when she became the youngest ever member of the seven great mages, because she was versatile in magic.
She could not beat Xellos yet, but Edinburgh was sure she would one day surpass Zephir.
‘I look forward to it.’
But then, Reina went missing.
Edinburgh wondered if she did something wrong.
◇ ◇ ◇
Reina approached her. The Myriad Mage did not have an element she was bad at, so whatever magic was fired at her was countered with the opposite element, and she did not stop.
Fire was surpassed, ice was melted, wind was erased, and earth was carved.
When Edinburgh cast gravity magic to crush her, Reina blocked it with Reflect.
‘Yes, you’ve become strong.’
Before she knew it, she was within Reina’s reach.
She clenched her fist, and pulled her arm back.
‘I don’t remember teaching you this.’
“I told you! I’d hit you at least once!”
As Reina mercilessly punched her hard in the face, it was very clear how big a grudge she had been holding.
Edinburgh thought that was funny, and a smile formed on her face as she lost consciousness.
◇ ◇ ◇
Edinburgh woke up, and saw a ceiling she recognized.
Her memories were fuzzy, and as she laid in a daze, her vision was covered by blonde hair.
“Are you awake?”
“Mother… I…?”
“Reina hit you. And with a fist filled with immense magic energy.”
“…I see.”
She sat up, and her right cheek hurt. She mumbled to herself as though it was about someone else.
It felt warm when she touched it, but it was not swollen, as though someone cast healing magic on it.
“I have a message from Reina.”
‘I fulfilled my promise, so we’re even.’
Edinburgh laughed, as Wilhelmina mimicked Reina.
She felt like saying getting stronger and hitting her was not a promise.
“How is your memory?”
“It’s back. What was erased and sealed. Everything.”
“That tone… Oh well.”
Edinburgh said why she erased memories.
She did not know how to deal with meeting Wilhelmina again.
She had become terrible since they parted ways, and she did not want Wilhelmina to know that, to see that.
She was like a child afraid of being scolded by her mother. That was why the world’s strongest mage erased her memory.
“I wanted to be the Edinburgh you knew…”
“Idiot.”
“Ouch!?”
Wilhelmina flicked her forehead. And it was very painful due to the magic energy it carried.
“W-what…”
Edinburgh pressed her forehead and looked at Wilhelmina, who looked exasperated.
“I know that’s not all. You’ll feel better if you let it out.”
“…”
“Spit it out!”
“Ugu… When I found out Reina was alive… I wanted to start over…”
Wilhelmina nodded with her arms crossed, prompting her to continue.
“If she hated me, I could get rid of my memory… And we could use magic together again…”
“…You heard her.”
“Eh?”
Wilhelmina snapped her fingers, and Reina suddenly appeared.
Her presence was perfectly concealed through magic.
“…”
“Uu…”
Reina had an indescribable expression. And Edinburgh could not form words.
Wilhelmina then laughed loudly, as they had trouble figuring out the distance between them.
“Ha ha ha! Nice expressions you have there! After enjoying the thick flavor of a sweet romantic comedy lately, I was thinking it was time to change to something different, and this bitterness is truly tasty!”
“…!”
Reina glared at Wilhelmina with embarrassment and anger, but she could not care less.
“I’m satisfied, so I will leave you two alone. Talk all you want.”
After she left, there was silence again.
Reina was the one to break it.
“You’re wrong…”
“Eh?”
“Wilhelmina made it so I couldn’t move. I didn’t mean to listen in.”
She was talking about the monologue from before.
Edinburgh did want to start over, but the fact that Reina heard it was embarrassing.
She was silent and bewildered, and Reina sighed with exasperation.
“Fine. It’s all in the past… And it’s true that it’s thanks to you that I’m very happy now…”
“I see. You’re happy now.”
“Thanks to you.”
Reina played it off nonchalantly, but her ears were a little red.
Thinking back, Edinburgh remembered that she never really chatted about mundane things like this with her.
“How is your memory now?”
“…Jumbled, but I believe I have the memories from before and after I arrived on this island. As for my personality… You can think of me how I was here on the island.”
“I see, that’s good. Snow would cry if you went back to how you were.”
“Fuh, maybe.”
It was because she closed her heart in the past, but she did not say that.
That would not change what she did to Reina and the others.
“Anyway, if you’re sure of that, that’s good.”
After clearing up some things about Edinburgh’s memory, Reina turned around.
“See you later. Come visit when you’re feeling better.”
“Yes… Give my best to father and Snow.”
After Reina left, Edinburgh looked out the window.
She failed to notice it before, but it was night.
She felt strong presences gathered in the arena where they fought, so it seemed they were having a banquet.
“Sounds like a lot of fun.”
She experienced it plenty of times on this island, but there was always something holding her back.
But now that she had her memories back, and more importantly, her stopped heart was moving again, she really felt like drinking with them.
“So the Monster of the End can have these feelings…”
But then again, this was a place where the god killing demon king, phoenix, ancient dragons, demon gods, great spirits, and devils lived.
They all followed their true natures and had a rowdy banquet.
One more monster should not be a big deal.
“Fu, fufufu… Hahahaha!”
Edinburgh realized how small her existence was, and laughed.
And she continued laughing, like an innocent child, like a weight had been taken off her.
She looked outside, where the full moon and stars illuminated the land.
◇ ◇ ◇
As the banquet ends, we move the people lying on the ground drunk to one side.
Some who are strong against alcohol left of their own accord, and the more caring ones are with the kids, not here.
“It’s always an awful sight after a banquet…”
I say with an awkward smile, as I think about how it really was a good idea to send the kids away so they didn’t see this. I start doing some light cleaning and…
“Father.”
“Edinburgh. Are you okay?”
“I wasn’t hurt too badly.”
She seems the same as she was before she regained her memories.
I heard from Reina and Wil that this is actually her true self, and how she was with the seven great mages was a manufactured character.
Apparently that’s not exactly right, but I don’t really understand that complicated stuff, so if they all accept it, that’s fine.
“I really bothered you.”
“It’s okay. I bothered you too. And you look after Snow, so we’re even.”
“You always say that.”
She approaches me, and looks at me with a serious expression.
What is it? Then she bows.
“Make… Reina happy.”
That was why she decided to regain her memories. To see her off as herself.
“…Yes. Of course.”
I accept her feelings head on.
“I have one thing to say too.”
“…?”
Edinburgh tilts her head in confusion while still bowing, and with an awkward smile on my face, I take a knee and hold her hand.
Then I bow too.
“Please let me have your daughter.”
I say, so nervous that it feels like my heart will be ripped apart.
And thus, all the trouble surrounding Edinburgh’s memories has been solved.
She calls herself my daughter and Wilhelmina’s, Reina’s parent, and Tiltue and Snow’s friend.
It’s an awkward relationship, but if I were to put it in one word, it would be… Family.
And with her memories restored, she’s officially that to us.
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Thanks for the treat.